SYRACUSE - Corporate Interiors Design Specialists, Inc., a local interior design firm, has moved into a building at 4103 New Court Ave. in Syracuse that provides nearly twice as much room as its previous location.
Corporate Interiors used much of November and early December to move from its 3,200-square-foot space at Firehouse No. 1 at 106 Montgomery St. to a 6,000-square-foot space in the New Court Avenue building.
The company just needed more space, says Susan Farrell, a senior interior designer with the company.
"We have one of the largest materials libraries in Central New York, if not the largest, and we just found that it was the next step in our process," she says, noting the library includes flooring materials, carpet sample books, wall coverings, upholstery, and ceramic tiles.
Corporate Interiors also chose the site because the building is free-standing, provides more options for parking, and isn't far from the New York State Thruway, says Farrell.
The company specializes in the design of health-care facilities, but has also handled banks and larger corporations.
Corporate Interiors' projects have included designing a new headquarters for Syracuse Research Corp., interior improvements in the psychiatric unit at SUNY Upstate Medical University, and interior improvements to the maternity unit at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center.
The design firm has benefited from product diversification.
"Another thing that helps us is that we sell product on top of design services," Farrell says, adding that the product line includes window treatments, artwork, and accessories.
In addition to design services, Corporate Interiors has also sold furniture from Eiseman Contract Associates, a Pittsburgh, Pa.-based, family-owned contract-furniture representative that sells office furniture from well-known manufacturers. Eisaman was searching for space in Central New York, and when the company learned Corporate Interiors was moving into a new building, "all of the light bulbs went off around the table," according to Farrell. The New Court Avenue building will include a showroom to display Eisaman office furniture products.
Corporate Interiors owner Krista Taskey employs five people, including three designers and support staff. Farrell is the company's only full-time employee; everyone else works part time. The company just hired Susan Jones, a part-time employee who specializes in residential design work, signaling that the business is beginning to focus more on the residential market.
The company might hire an additional designer in 2009, says Farrell.
Corporate Interiors is currently working on about 20 projects, and typically works on an avenge of 15 to 20 projects at any given time, says Farrell.
The company handles drafting services for blueprints, interior renderings, space planning, building code review relating to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Farrell says if a company wanted to install 20 cubicles in an area that previously accommodated 15, Corporate Interiors would take care of the measurements, provide a new space plan, and produce the technical drawings.
For interior renderings, Corporate Interiors using a software program called "3D VIZ." The company designed a conference room for Lockheed Martin, and using the software, was able to show the client the finished space with all the materials scanned-in.
Corporate Interiors will also help a company research and determine the proper materials needed to achieve Leadership in Environmental Energy Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, says Farrell.
The move to New Court Avenue, which included electrical work, moving a computer server, phones, and equipment, and building out a showroom, cost the company about $18,000. Corporate Interiors hired TD Construction of Syracuse to handle the Eisaman showroom construction at a cost of $30,000.
Corporate Interiors currently leases the space from Richard Barry of Frank Tartaglia Inc. of Salina. The company wouldn't disclose the monthly lease amount. The business does have the option to buy the building after one year of occupancy. Corporate Interiors pays the same lease amount on New Court Avenue as it did at Firehouse No. 1, Farrell notes.
Joseph Hucko, president of Washington St. Partners of Syracuse, was the original lease-holder for Firehouse No. 1. Hucko eventually sold the building to Greenwood Holding, Inc. of Brooklyn.
John Barmonde, a commercial realtor with Intranet Real Estate & Services, suggested Corporate Interiors look at the New Court Avenue building in its search for a new home.
Corporate Interiors generated between $800,000 and $900,000 in revenue in both 2007 and 2008 and projects revenue growth of 15 percent to 25 percent in 2009.
Taskey founded the company under the name Design Specialists in Rome in 1999, after having done design work independently the previous 22 years. Five years later, in order to expand the business, she moved from Rome to the Montgomery Street location in Syracuse.
Corporate Interiors Design Specialists is a Woman-Owned Business, as certified by the New York State Division of Minority and Women Business Development.
SMALL-BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
Corporate Interiors Design Specialists, Inc.
4103 New Court Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13206
Phone: (315) 479-1551
* Type of business: Interior design and space planning firm
* Year founded: 1999
* Employees: 5
* Company owner: Krista Taskey
Copyright 2009 Business Journal - Central New York, The
